


Feel Like Rain

by Anonymous



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, Camping, Gen, Lost in the Woods, Multi, forced co-companionship, lots of yelling and swearing, mentions of side/background relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-25
Updated: 2018-05-25
Packaged: 2019-05-13 06:29:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14743706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: “I’m not about getting us completely lost in the woods.” Seungcheol says, even though that is the exact current state they're in.--A camping trip where everything goes wrong.





	Feel Like Rain

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't posted anything in a really long time, so I joined in hopes to force myself to finally write something.
> 
> And this is the result. Enjoy, I guess?
> 
> (sorry if they’re kind of ooc?? i tried)

Twigs snap under feet, the untrodden path littered with misshaped bushes and multi-coloured tree leaves filter through what was left of the afternoon sunlight.

There was also rain. Lots of rain.

If not for what was left of the leaves on the trees above the three boys below would be entirely soaked.

If they weren’t already.

“This day is awesome.”

Someone groans unenthusiastically. Almost sort of as if they were not agreeing at all.

Almost as if someone else did not catch the sarcasm, they respond “Yeah, I _love_ being stuck in the middle of the freaking woods. There is no place I’d rather be right now, than here. In the woods. Soaked to the bone with every joint aching.”

“Shut up. You’re not the only one suffering right now.”

Seungkwan lolls his head back and groans loudly. “I wish I didn’t come with you guys. You’re mean. And also very, very lost.”

“That’s enough.” Seungcheol says. He has his compass in hand and a sheet detailing instructions, that are near impossible to read since the rain washed away most of the ink, in the other. “The path _should_ just be up ahead.”

“And what if it’s not?” Minghao finally responds.

“Then we’re lost. Loster. The most lost.” Seungkwan whines.

“I’m not about getting us completely lost in the woods.” Seungcheol pushes some bushes out of the way, hoping he didn’t just walk through a spider’s web. He would be able to tell if his face wasn’t completely numb from the rain and cold.

“What if no one comes looking for us? What if we die out here? What if a bear chases us?” He pouts.

“Don’t worry, bears will only go after the slow prey.” Minghao looks over his shoulder at his friend, who still pouting, furrows his eyebrows in response.

Minghao, before having enough time to turn to face forward again, bumps into Seungcheol’s back.

Seungcheol groans loudly and looks at the faded instructions. “God.”

“What? Are we… I dunno… lost, by any chance?” Seungkwan sasses.

“Can you please stuff a sock in it?” Seungcheol mutters expletives under his breath and turns 180 degrees. “Let’s back track a little bit.”

Seungkwan stomps his foot like an impatient child. “We’re lost, we’re lost. We’re lost!”

Seungcheol choses, this time, to ignore him.

“Someone carry me. I can’t go on any longer.”

Minghao, as well, ignores him.

“I should have gone with Chan and the others.”

“There is no way in hell I can see Chan carrying your lazy ass.” Minghao retorts.

“You’re right, but then at least we wouldn’t be lost.” He snaps back.

They charge on for a while, following old foot prints in hopes of finding some sense of a trail. How they had managed to get so far off path, no one really knows. Minghao kind of, mostly, just blindly follows Seungcheol, since he usually has things like this figured out. Today just so happened to be one of those days where Seungcheol decidedly does _not_ have everything figured out. Though, that’s sort of what happens when your group of friends decides to throw an impromptu camping trip in the middle of the woods.

“Seungcheol-hyung, give me the backpack. You’ve got all the snacks.”

Seungcheol groans, and slips the pack off his shoulders, tossing it to Seungkwan. Miraculously, he catches it.

Seungcheol was in charge of the small things. Matches, flashlight, newspaper (for a fire), snacks, water, and most notably the fucking directions, of which he dropped into a puddle immediately after stepping out of the vehicle. Minghao had the pop-up tent (uncomfortably stabbing him in the back the entire hike.) and Seungkwan, Seungkwan brought his bright cheery personality.

Minghao sent a glare over his shoulder as he heard the sound of the zipper, and crunching of plastic.

“I am beyond stressed right now.” Seungkwan says as reply to Minghao’s glare. “I’m stress eating.” He shoves an entire handful of trail mix in his mouth.

Minghao turns to Seungcheol, “He’s going to eat all the snacks.”

“Don’t care.” Seungcheol finalizes. Glancing down at his watch, he mutters, “It’s going to be dark soon.”

“Great. We’re going to be lost. In the woods. With _bears_. At night!” Seungkwan enounces chewing loudly.

“I don’t know why you keep bringing up bears. I don’t think there are bears out here.”

“How are you so sure?”

Seungcheol doesn’t respond, only trying to find his footing on a particularly slippery slope, that they did _not_ see on the way in.

“Ah. I think that’s the path.” Seungcheol points in a direction ahead. Minghao squints his eyes, definitely not seeing a path.

“Are you sure…?”

Seungcheol picks up speed, stumbling down a slight decline, as he heads for what looks to be an opening.

“It has to be.”

“For reals, though, _are_ there bears out here?” Seungkwan groaned at having to pick up his pace to not be left behind all the while munching on some trail mix, appropriately spitting all the raisins out.

Minghao looks around apprehensively as they approach the opening, as if there _might_ be a bear around.

“No. No bears.”

“But it’s the woods. Where do you think bears live?”

“They’re—“

“No, no no no. Don’t start on the whole ‘They’re more afraid of you’ bull. I’m _tiny_ , I’m slow, and not very good at playing dead! I was not made for the woods.”

“Why don’t you practice playing dead right now?”

“Oh, very funny.”

“Ooooh.” Minghao monotones. “Let’s play a game. How long can Seungkwan go without talking?”

“Hey! I can go very long without talking, thank you very much.” And as if to prove a point he motions closing his mouth. He doesn’t last too long because he trips over a hidden stump. “Help! I’m dying!”

Seungcheol stops in the center of a clearing. Well, it’s no path.

“Ugh.” Minghao groans. “Why did we have to come in groups? Why did we have to separate like this? Jeonghan and the others have the food… and booze. I’m so hungry, and tired of walking…”

“I know.” Seungcheol sympathizes.

“Oh. So you don’t tell _him_ to stuff a sock in it.”

Seungcheol pulls his phone out of his pocket and sighs. “I wish we had some way of contacting the others.”

“Oh here’s an idea. Let’s send, gosh dang, smoke signals. ‘Cause those are the only signals we’re gonna get out here.” Seungkwan whines.

Minghao couldn’t help but snort. Seungcheol stares at him with a quirked eyebrow.

“What? That was kind of funny.”

Seungkwan crosses his arms over his chest.

Seungcheol contemplates the surroundings, staring longingly at the darkening sky. He exhales as he calculates what he’s about to say. “This may sound crazy.” He starts, “But as it is, it’s getting way to dark out, and we’re most likely only going to get more lost if we continue wondering around like we know what we’re doing. But this clearing is nice. We should set up camp here. Try and find the others—or a way out tomorrow morning, bright and early.”

“No. I don’t like this idea.”

“‘Cheol, we only have one pop-up tent. There is no way three of us are fitting in there.”

“I know. We have no other choice? I don’t want to risk any of us walking off a cliff? So with what little daylight we have left we should set up camp.”

“We don’t even have any food…” Minghao sighs.

“That’s not true, we’ve got trail mix.”

“No, we don’t” Seungkwan says quietly.

Seungcheol blinks slowly—it’s less obvious than rolling your eyes.

“Seungkwan, bud, do you think you could do us a _huge_ favour and find us some fire wood?” Seungcheol says, with a kind voice.

Seungkwan lets out a long groan before replying “Yes, dad.”

As soon as Seungkwan was out of ear shot Minghao turns to Seungcheol with an incredulous look. “It’s pissing down rain, there is no way he’s going to find dry fire wood.”

“I know. I’m just tired of seeing his face. And hearing his voice.” Seungcheol makes a motion toward the tent still on Minghao’s shoulder. Minghao takes it off and hands it over to Seungcheol, who removes it from the case. They go to work setting up the tent, making sure the stakes were firmly in the ground, as it looks like the wind is starting to pick up. Great.

Seungkwan finally returns once they have the tent completely set up.

“Hey I thought I told you to bring some fire wood.”

“Ha, ha. Very funny.” Seungkwan says, rolling his eyes. “It’s raining out. You’re not going to find fire wood like this.”

“Oh.” Seungcheol says, but otherwise stays silent, a small grin playing on his lips. He won’t mention that Seungkwan spent the last twenty minutes looking for some.

“Oh god. We’re going to freeze.” Minghao laments once he realises that there are no blankets, and they’re all soaking wet. “I don’t want to die like this.”

“Not before me you won’t,” Seungkwan argues.

“Calm down. I got this covered.” He says, rummaging through his bag.

“You want us to get naked and share body heat, Hyung? Is that what you’re saying? What’s wrong with you?” Seungkwan dramatizes.

Seungcheol makes a face at Seungkwan.

“No. What? I brought a blanket.” He says as he pulls out a small fleece blanket, purple with a plaid pattern. “It’s small, but it’ll do. Plus it’s dry.” He feels around it just to make sure. “Mostly.”

Seungcheol unzips the front of the tent, tossing the blanket in there, to save it from any more damage from the rain.

The light beyond the horizon slowly fades out, leaving them in darkness. With only the light from Seungcheol’s stashed flash light, keeping their surroundings illuminated. The trees covering the clearing, luckily, catch most of the rain, keeping their makeshift camp somewhat dry.

Seungkwan is once again rummaging through Seungcheol’s backpack for some food, munching on it like his life depends on it. Seungcheol is trying his best not to be judgmental. Minghao is trying his hardest to keep his eyes open. They’ve long since ran out of things to talk about. Not to mention, tired of Seungkwan trying to turn every conversation into an argument or competition. Seungcheol decides that then would be a good time for a bathroom break. A few snaps of twigs can be heard as Seungcheol makes his way out of the clearing.

“Do you think, they think we bailed on them?” Minghao asks, sleepily.

“Shouldn’t you be more worried about them thinking we got eaten by bears?”

“There are no bears here.” Minghao responds with a badly stifled a yawn hidden behind the sleeve of his jacket.

Seungkwan sighs, rolling his eyes and pointedly staring in Minghao’s direction. “Let’s be real, though, we’re only in this mess ‘cause Jeonghan has you _so_ whipped. Too busy thinking with your dick, that you didn’t think for a second, that maybe, quite possibly this entire thing was a shitty idea.”

Minghao’s half lidded eyes his snap up to meet Seungkwan’s.

“And now you’re afraid he’s probably thinking what an asshole you are, for ditching them. And here, he was probably all excited about cuddling up next to you by the fire, while your mind raced with thoughts on how to stick your hand in his pants without the others noticing.”

Minghao face burned bright red as he looked away.

“It’s not like that.” Minghao basically whispers. If Seungkwan didn’t stick his head so far into something that was none of his business, he probably wouldn’t have heard.

Seungkwan gives Minghao a meaningful look. “Not like what? You don’t wanna shack up with him in a cozy little tent? Or that you don’t have a disgusting, ugly, pre-teen-make-out-with-your-pillow-imagining-it’s-him crush. Hm?”

“Fuck you. Like your crusty ass suck up puppy love for your long distance _lover,_ Hansol is any better.” He motions air-quotes at the use of “lover,” beside himself, cringing. Minghao feels his breathing falter, as nerves bounce around underneath his skin. “It’s unrealistic the expectations you put on your relationship, he’s not going to wait forever for someone he’s never even seen in real life.” He hopes his voice doesn’t quiver.

Seungkwan, taken aback, swallows his pride before responding, “Yeah and Jeonghan doesn’t care about _you;_ he’s just leading you on because he’s a slut. He. Doesn’t. Like. You. Moron.” He flips him off.

“ _Don’t call him that.”_ Minghao seethes, unfolding himself, sitting up, poising to grab at Seungkwan. He’s about to say something else, but his words get drowned out by the rustling of a figure appearing at the edge of the clearing. He folds back in on himself.

Seungkwan quickly sits back and looks over at his shoulder, his entire demeanour changing in an instant. “Ha ha what took you so long? Did you go poop?”

“I should have brought the flashlight. I couldn’t see where I was going. God, if smells like ozone. It’s probably going to storm tonight.” Seungcheol announces, making his way back to their huddle. His eyes shift quickly noticing Minghao looking ruffled and prickly like a pissed off cat. “… I don’t want to share a tent with you two, if you’re just going to be bickering all night.”

“Good. Me either. Seungkwan can sleep outside.” Minghao says, as evenly as he possibly can.

Seungkwan startles. “What no. _You’re_ sleeping outside.” Seungkwan quickly scrambles in an attempt to race Minghao to the tent. Minghao blocks the entrance.

“The blankets not big enough for three people.”

“No one’s sleeping outside.” Seungcheol sighs, picking up and flicking off his discarded flashlight. The sudden apparent darkness of the clearing strikes a sudden silence.

Seungkwan breathes in quickly shoving at Minghao. “Please, let me sleep in the tent, please.” He chants please, as if he wasn’t already forcing himself into the tent and under cover of the blanket. He only realizes a moment later that the entire tent is flooded, and the blanket—just like everything else—is soaked. “What? No! This isn’t fair.”

“Oh are you fucking kidding me?” Seungcheol practically roars. Startling Minghao, and rightly so. “I thought I told you to put the tarp up?” Seungcheol already had the flash light on in a flash and was pointing it in Seungkwan’s direction. The sudden reflection of light off the puddles, causing him to blink a few times, then squint.

Minghao stands at this. “I did.” He points at the heavy vinyl material barely hanging over the top of the tent. “The wind must have knocked it off.”

“Great.” Seungcheol sighs, as he pinches the bridge of his nose. “No food, no shelter. What else could possibly go wrong?”

Seungkwan takes this as his que to point out Seungcheol’s backpack, wide open, sitting in the corner of the tent. “Well… I hope you didn’t have any important papers in there.”

Seungcheol dives for the bag in the corner, water dripping off of it. He pulls out anything that was inside—a couple of old granola bars, of which he forgot were even in there. “Just another thing to add to the list of why this camping trip fucking sucks, but hey, granola bars!”

 

It’s later yet. The three settled on an agreement (agree to disagreement) after arguing over faults and a few threats to punch the weather in the face, and are now (un)comfortably sitting in the tiny tent.

Somehow the three of them had managed to drain most of the water out of the tent. Minghao made sure to rightly set the tarp up, securing it this time, least the wind blow it away again. The rain has yet to show signs of it stopping.

Seungcheol passed around a few of the granola bars from earlier. They were huddled up inside the tent, although still damp, it was a much better alternative than sitting in the mud outside.

Seungkwan is crinkling the wrapper of his granola bar, trying to get it open with numb shaky fingers. Eventually, Minghao gets frustrated enough to rip the granola bar out of Seungkwan’s hand and tear it open. Not even two seconds after handing it back to Seungkwan, Seungkwan is once again complaining.

“There’s raisins in this.” He spits.

Seungcheol sighs.

“What is your problem with raisins?”

“Actually, I think they’re cranberries.” Minghao says after much thought.

“That… is somehow much worse.” Seungkwan almost sets the granola bar down. “But fuck it, I’m hungry.” And proceeds to stuff the entire thing in his mouth, without much thought. Minghao secretly hopes he chokes. He and Seungcheol share a look, probably thinking the same thing.

It takes a lot of sniffling, chattering of teeth, and a few sneezes for Seungcheol to almost completely lose his patience. “Good god, we’re not going to get warm by sitting on opposite corners of the tent. Shoot me for suggesting this but—“

“I’m not taking my clothes off, so don’t even suggest. My clothes will only come off for the person I love...”

“For the love of—“

Minghao chokes on his granola bar.

“What? Isn’t that a survival thing? In the cold, it’s easier to share body heat when you’re butt naked.” Seungkwan points out, a finger poised as if stating a fact.

“How ‘bout we all just sit a little bit closer!?” Seungcheol damn near screamed.

“…’Cheol-hyung how about we keep the yelling to a minimum. Bears will hear us.”

“Oh my fucking- There are no goddamn bears here! Besides if there were bears have a very good sense of smell and they’d have found us on that alone.”

It’s quiet for a long while. Just the sound of sniffles and the rhythmic pattering of rain falling on the tarp. It’d almost be relaxing if they weren’t all shivering.

Suddenly the tent illuminated with a bright flash of light, soon after followed by some rumbling in the distance. Someone let’s out a terrified squeak, alerting the other two occupants. Seungkwan flushes, hiding his face behind his hands, suddenly embarrassed. This elicits a chuckle out of Minghao.

“Oh, is the baby Boo afraid of thunder?”

Seungkwan glares at Minghao, as furiously he can, but looking as intimidating as a fluffed up kitten, which just makes Minghao coo, and reach his hands out to pet Seungkwan, patronizingly. However, he bats his hands away before he can make contact.

“Touch me, and I’ll lose it.”

“I’d like to see that—“

“That’s enough.” Seungcheol commands. Voice more startling than the rumble in the sky that follows.

Seungkwan jumps hands flying to cling the nearest thing, which happens to be Minghao.

“Aaaaahhhhggg, get him off me!”

“Oh my god. Please, for the love of whatever, stop it. Stop bickering, stop fighting. I’m so sick of it. This entire fucking trip. We’ve been out here only a few hours and I can’t take it anymore.”

“He started it!” Seungkwan wails, throwing an accusatory finger at Minghao.

“I only started _anything_ because you wouldn’t shut up in the first place.” Minghao countered. “If I hadn’t said anything your ass would still be spewing shit.”

“Well what a lot of good that did ya, I’m still talking.”

“Guys. I’m being serious, shut the hell up. We’re drenched, lost in the fucking woods, and freezing cold, believe me this whole he said she said is the least of our worries right now. Let’s just focus on trying to keep warm, and not dying? Hm?”

The two stopped bickering. Another flash of lightning, and the roving rumble of thunder following. Seungkwan has found the small blanket from earlier throwing it over his shoulders— it’s still wet, but so is everything else, so what difference does it make; it’s a small bit of security in an otherwise terrifying situation. Seungkwan has joined Seungcheol on his side of the tent, leaving Minghao shivering by himself curled up on the other side. Seungkwan seems to be drifting off, pressed up against Seungcheol’s side. He’s kind of endearing, when he isn’t talking. His plush cheek squished against Seungcheol’s shoulder, his bleary eyes blinking slow until they finally close, his lips parting and already drooling. Okay never mind that’s a bit gross; however, Seungcheol’s confined to being a human pillow for the time being, so long as it keeps Seungkwan from jumping out of his skin at the slightest sound, and out of Minghao’s hair, this is as close to peace as they’re going to get.

He looks up and meets Minghao’s eyes, the glare that shifts easily from Seungcheol to pierce Seungkwan’s sleeping form. He doesn’t know why but there’s some big brotherly urge to protect the kid, as he lifts his arm to wrap around Seungkwan, pulling him flush against his side. Despite how much the kid can be a pain in the ass, when he’s sleeping he’s almost precious.

Minghao scoffs and looks off, sniffling, rubbing his hand against his nose then his eyes, as though the sniffing isn’t just because it’s cold.

“‘Hao, come here.” Seungcheol offers his other shoulder.

“I’d rather fucking die, no thanks.” His voice waivers, and it’s as Seungcheol expected. “This was such a crap fucking bullshit idea.”

Seungcheol holds his arm out as an offer for as long as Minghao finally gives in, plopping his face down on Seungcheol’s thigh. Satisfied now, since his boys were finally calm, and dear do they look peaceful when they’re not screaming at each other every second. They can’t agree on a damn thing. The drive out here itself was horrible, with Seungkwan’s singing loudly to his playlist, until Minghao ripped the aux cord from his phone and plugged in his own. Seungcheol was sure if Seungkwan was in the backseat they would have forced him to drive in a ditch. And let’s not even get started on who gets shotgun, who argued over who said it first. Seungcheol sighs, brushing damp hair back from Minghao’s face, knowing how much he hates his hair stabbing him in the face when he’s trying to sleep. Affection flooding his veins only when he thinks his actions will go unnoticed. He startled a bit seeing his eyes are still wide open and brimming with tears, he hadn’t even felt due to his pants being soaked already.

“Hey, hey. What’s the matter? You never cry.”

“Not fucking crying. My eyes are just itchy.”

“Okay.” Seungcheol doesn’t argue, there’s been enough of that today, and Minghao is stubborn.

The silence stretches on, Seungcheol suddenly wishing he’d chosen a more comfortable position before sacrificing himself to become a human pillow.

“What if Jeonghan and ‘em think we really ditched them.” Minghao finally speaks.

Seungcheol brings his hand up to rub at Minghao’s shoulder and over his back, hoping it elevates some of the shivering. “Hey, now that’s stupid.”

His eyebrows furrow together.

“Look at it like this… we’re lost. Surely they’ll be able to forgive us for not showing up.”

“It is stupid. Why do I care so much what he thinks?”

Seungcheol is silent, unsure if anything he’ll say will be a good enough answer for Minghao. “I don’t think I can answer that for you…” he says decidedly.

Minghao slumps, groaning loudly. Seungkwan shifts on his shoulder at another rumble of thunder.

“We slept together,” he says it so quiet that Seungcheol could hardly hear over the rain hammering on the tent, unrelenting. It seems like a touching moment. That Minghao is ready and willingly opening up to Seungcheol, and this could be it. This could be his moment to give great advice, and remedy this uncomfortable hollow pit in his stomach at thinking he isn’t a good enough leader, for lack of better words. Being the oldest in their group he feels like he’s severely lacking in the good advice, dad-like pep-talk department. However…

Seungkwan starts a coughing suddenly, startling Seungcheol into kneeing Minghao in the head, the sooner letting out a loud yelp, springing up to be sitting and glaring at Seungkwan, still coughing.

“Oh my god! You did what?!” Seungkwan sputters, clearly only having faked sleeping.

Seungcheol suddenly fears he’s losing control of the situation, stuttering a quick shout, “Ya, ya, hey.”

“I can’t believe this.” He’s laughing, borderline hysterical, “I knew _something_ happened between you two, but this… this is better than anything I could have imagined. This is GOLD.”

Minghao shifts back to the opposite side of the tent, curling in around himself.

“S’kwan. That’s enough”

“No! It’s not. This is great. You know why? It’s because I finally have something to hold against you.” He pointedly says toward Minghao’s retreaded back. “You know how many times you’ve made fun of me, and made me feel like crap about liking someone that lives thousands and thousands of kilometres away from me? It just proves you can’t help who you love, and you’re a giant hypocrite. I can’t wait for everyone to hear about this.”

Minghao erupts, sitting up as tall as the tent will allow, wispy hairs on the top of his head graze the canvas.

“Go ahead. Tell everyone. Who gives a shit? You can’t prove anything even happened between us.”

“I don’t have to. Just ask Jeonghan, he’s not exactly ashamed of talking about his conquests. Like I said he doesn’t like you like that. You’re nothing but another notch in his bed post.”

Seungcheol gasps at the sight of Minghao’s hand coming down and slapping across Seungkwan’s face. The sound resonates, followed by a striking silence.

Seungkwan stares in shock, then lunges for Minghao only to be stopped by Seungcheol pouncing between them.

“Seriously. That’s enough!”

“No it’s not. I’m sick of this!”  Seungkwan stands up as best he can, searching in the dark with his feet before he find what he’s looking for, the flashlight. He grapples it with his hand, fumbling to turn it on. Light erupts in the small space of the tent, helping to illuminate the scowl stuck on Seungkwan’s face. Next he’s pointing the light toward the zip, slipping on his shoes and stumbling gracefully out of the tent into the dark of the night.

“Holy fuck. Seungkwan you can’t. You’ll get lost.”

“Screw you. I hope I do.”

“I’m sorry!”

“What are _you_ apologizing for? For being a dick head that lets him get away with slapping me in the freaking face and only stepping in when I want to retaliate? Or is it because I constantly get the shit end of the stick and no one freaking cares. Like i’m not worth enough or something. I’m just everyone’s favourite to pick on. Like everyone conveniently forgot I have feelings, too, or something.”

Seungcheol has panic settling in his veins, wanting to grasp for Seungkwan to stay, yet also having trepidation fire up beneath his skin. Fear because he knows it’s true, people tend to pick on Seungkwan a little bit easier, with how he wears his heart on his sleeve and how unabashed he is about his opinions and thoughts, be them negative, or positive he’s never afraid to tell people what he actually thinks, and that can be seen as a pretty big weakness for him.

Seungkwan stumbles outside of the tent, the rain as ever present as it was when they first set out on their huge mess of an adventure, they all probably regret by now.

“I just need some fresh air, can’t stand another second in that tent sharing puffs of Minghao’s stank breath. Maybe i’ll stumble in on the others, maybe i’ll get eaten by a bear. Who cares though, right?”

A rumble of thunder cuts through anything either Seungcheol or Minghao might say. Seungkwan squeaks and instant regret settles in, but if he’s anything, he’s absolutely not a person that goes back on their word, some people would call him stubborn, but he likes to think of himself as strong-willed. He starts storming off, socks soaked already, and mud caked on the bottom of his shoes, slipping around as he goes.

“Seungkwan, c’mon.” the words come out muffled as the rain helps to dampen them, or drown them out completely the further he steps away from the makeshift camp.

He blatantly ignores them, storming off into the dark depths of the forest. Barely able to see an arms width in front of him without the help of the flashlight.

And either the battery dies or the rain got to it, but the flashlight shuts off. Seungkwan throws it somewhere, hearing it think against what he presumes is a tree trunk.

Seungcheol’s face is stark white. Minghao hasn’t moved from where he planted himself in the corner.

“‘Hao, c’mon we have to go drag him back.”

He doesn’t move, or even acknowledge he heard Seungcheol.

Seungcheol sighs, already slipping on and lacing up his hiking boots, tying them tight and zipping the tent open.

“‘Hao,”

“If Seungkwan wants to die, then let him die.”

“You know how he gets. And you can’t say he’s not wrong. We do kind of… treat him… not the best.” Seungcheol shrugs, admitting this isn’t easy.

“Well maybe you should have done something about that then. You’re kind of an idiot hyung, hyung. No offence.”

Seungcheol curls his bottom lip inward. He knows he’s right, yet it still stings to be told so bluntly, and especially from someone younger than him. It’s a bit of a moral dilemma, to define and put Minghao in his place, or accept the criticism. He lifts his shoulders in a sigh, and decides on neither.

“Are you going to help me find him, or not?” He tries to sound confident, but it mostly comes out shaky.

Minghao, at first, makes no motion to move, then he slides back, slipping his sneakers on and climbing out of the tent with Seungcheol. He doesn’t say anything, just waits for Seungcheol to lead them in the direction he’s pretty sure he saw Seungkwan heading.

There is just silence between them for the longest time, they’ve reached the edge of the clearing, stalling a second to listen for any sounds of Seungkwan nearby. There’s nothing but the wet sound of the rain around them. Seungcheol sighs, then brings his hands up to either side of his mouth, before he shouts Seungkwan’s name. Surely it’s impossible for him to have gotten very far. It’s dark, and if the dense forest couldn’t stop him, the muck slowing them down would have.

“Shit!”

Seungcheol stops in his tracks, turning around at the sound of Minghao’s voice. He’s grasping to a tree, trying to stand up, mud covering the knees of his track pants.

“If we find him, i’m going to kill him.”

“Just get up.”

Minghao huffs, picking at the cloth sticking to his skin.

“Yuck.”

“Get over it.”

The glare he received cuts through the dark and shakes him to the core. Yikes.

“Seungkwan!” He shouts again.

“Hey.” Minghao says, stopping Seungcheol in his tracks.

He turns where Minghao is just behind him. He’s holding up the discarded flashlight.

“That’s… a sign.”

“Hand it over.”

Seungcheol receives the flashlight, flicking the switch on the side. When it doesn’t light up he whacks it against the palm of his hand. It flickers to life, however briefly. “Fuck.” He mutters. “Well, he went this way, that’s for sure.”

Minghao shrugs.

“Seungkwan!”

Still nothing.

“Wonder if he fell in a ravine.”

“ _Don’t_ say that.”

He shrugs again. Seungcheol stifles a curse.

They trudge through mud in silence listening for any signs of movement besides themselves and the ever pelting rain, eventually coming upon a small clearing, not one quite as big as the one where they’ve set up camp. The light on the flashlight although dim, does help to illuminate a set of footprints in the mud. Both still hoping Seungkwan is nearby, they’re back to back watching between the trees for any movement, the flickery flashlight not doing too much to help.

They hear a rustling of underbrush, and snapping of twigs, sounding way too loud to be one person. Minghao fists his hand into Seungcheol’s windbreaker, his breaths coming in sharp puffs.

“Seung—“

A hand comes up to cover Seungcheol’s mouth. Minghao miming with his free hand to shush him. His eyebrows screw up in lack of understanding. Though the rustling doesn’t stop, and it’s coming from more than one direction. That’s not Seungkwan…

Minghao seems to be the picture of calm, lowers himself as reaches down for his right leg, releasing Seungcheol’s mouth to reach for his ankle for some reason, but then suddenly there is a loud screech coming from a little off in the woods.

Then Minghao is gripping tightly to Seungcheol’s sleeve and dashing off, dragging the older behind him, as they try to quietly escape back between the trees.

Suddenly Seungcheol is whispering “Did that sound like Seungkwan to you? That scream.”

Minghao nods.

“But if Seungkwan is… then what was…?”

At first he shrugs, but then says “Squirrels I think. They were in the trees too. It’s burrowing season, we were probably in a prime picking spot.”

Seungcheol isn’t entirely convinced.

“But surely a squirrel can’t snap a fallen tree branch…”

“Could it have been the others messing with us?”

Minghao doesn’t have an immediate answer. Saying silent in favour of listening for Seungkwan. “To be honest. I’m not entirely convince they’re even out here.”

“W-what? What makes you say that?”

It’s a few minutes later when they hear a quiet whimper, interrupting any belated follow up thought from Seungcheol, and preventing Minghao from answering.

“Seungkwan?”

A hiccup.

Seungcheol shakes the flashlight, smacking it against his hand a little harder than probably necessary. Suddenly it bursts to life.

“I’m here.” Says a small voice.

He points the light lower, where Seungkwan is sat in front of a tree trunk; right leg against his chest and the other stuck out in front of him. His shoe is missing from his right foot, and he’s poking at the ankle.

“Are you okay?”

He scoffs. “Oh. Now you care.”

Minghao bends down next to him, Seungcheol takes his other side.

“I think I twisted it.”

Together they lift Seungkwan onto his feet. Seungcheol finds his other shoe, preparing to head back to their camp when he realizes something very important.

“Wait. Which way did we come?”

Pointedly, no one says anything.

Tentatively Minghao points his finger “…that way?”

Seungcheol doesn’t sound convinced when he hmm’s. Not that he knows any better.

Seungkwan tears himself away from Minghao, taking a few steps in another direction. “Clearly it’s this way.” He only makes it a couple feet before he’s stumbling, and letting out a cry as he takes a tumble to the ground.

Seungcheol grasps at his arm, trying to help him up, but he pushes him away. “Don’t _touch_ me.”

“You can’t even walk.”

Seungkwan uses a tree to help him stand. He shuffles from tree to tree hobbling on one leg to help him. He only makes it a couple more tree lengths away before he’s huffing a sigh and turning toward the other two. He doesn’t have to say anything to Seungcheol before he’s wrapping an arm across his back. Seungkwan gratefully accepts the help this time.

Although Seungcheol shifts so they’re headed in the direction Minghao pointed in. “Where are we going?” He sounds incredulous.

“Seungkwan, love ya, bub, but you still need to make an L with your hands to tell which way is left.”

As expected he pouts, and tries to wiggle free, but Seungcheol’s hold on him is too tight.

Luckily Minghao seems to have the best sense of direction out of the three of them and they happen upon the clearing with their ominous looking tent. Without a campfire, and cooler, and other various camping equipment, the area just looks desolate, or abandoned. It’s eerie steeping into the clearing, Seungcheol, manning the flashlight, keeps it pointed at the ground to watch for any obstacles, least Seungkwan injure his other foot, and have an actual reason to make them carry him.

However, he stops in his tracks, Minghao has lead the way. And therefore is ahead of them. He has his hand held out, halting Seungcheol.

There is a rustling coming from their tent.

The motion is too quick for Seungcheol to even notice it, but Minghao is bending down and reaching for something at his feet.

Oh. Oh, and it’s a freaking huge knife.

Flabbergasted, Seungkwan gasps, remembers the situation, he covers his mouth with his flailing hand.

The rustling stops.

Quickly, Seungcheol forces his hand over Seungkwan’s mouth, sensing an in coming scream, as whoever… _whatever_ , emerges from the tent flap.

He can feel the vibrations of Seungkwan saying—or trying to say something, against his hand, he raises the flashlight, still flickering at the dark figure, on all fours making itself apparent.

And…

Minghao lowers his knife.

It’s a fucking… goat?

Seungcheol’s hand drops, though that doesn’t stop Seungkwan’s oncoming scream.

The goat looks at them, an almost lazy, unimpressed expression on its face, as it munches on a shiny wrapper. The granola bars from earlier.

“Oh my god. I almost shit my pants.”

“Don’t let you guard down yet. How do we know it’s a regular goat?”

“Only one way to find out.” Minghao raises his knife again.

“Put that away!” Seungcheol is lowering Minghao’s hand. “Where did you even get that?”

“I’m more concerned about where that goat came from.”

“Maybe there’s a farm nearby, and it got loose. Or it’s just a wild goat. Those exist. I think.”

“Those totally exist.”

“Whatever, lets just make sure that thing didn’t eat a hole in the tent or something.” Seungkwan hops over.

The goat still hasn’t moved. Still looking at them with its judging eyes. It’s completely eaten the granola wrapper, sniffing the ground for something else. Seungkwan stops in his tracks.

“Shoo. Go home.”

The goat looks up at him. Just. Staring.

Seungkwan swallows.

“Seungcheol, i’ve dabbled a bit in animal decapitation. If this thing doesn’t scurry off I know a few good goat recipes.”

“You’ve done what?!”

“It’s really simple, you just—“

“No! No, Minghao, i’m pretty sure that’s a crime. You can’t just kill a goat!”

“It’s looking at me funny.”

Seungcheol sighs. The goat blinks slowly, as if judging them. “Yah, goat, go home.”

It huffs.

Seungcheol reaches into his pockets, for something… some kind of distracting. Maybe he has another delicious granola wrapper.

Although, he doesn’t need to, as the goat is deciding for itself to leave. Though, of course, that’s just after pooping right on Seungcheol’s boot. It leaves them just like that, scurrying off into the darkness.

Seungkwan wastes no time hobbling past Seungcheol and into the tent. He finds his blanket again and pulls it up over his shoulders. Minghao is soon to follow.

“No offence, hyung, but your boots are staying outside.”

“That’s fair.” He unites them and steps into the tent, zipping it closed behind him.

Minghao reaches for the flashlight setting it upright, the light pointing toward the roof.

Seungcheol watches, uncertain, as he shimmies off his coat, and pulls his shirt off over his head. His eyebrows screw up in confusion, but then he’s laying to flat on the tent floor, grabbing the hem and making a slice in it with his knife, ripping a couple inches off the bottom, then slicing it in half, making a long strip of fabric. He motions, silently, for Seungkwan’s foot. Pulling off the shoe and sock, and gently wrapping his ankle with the fabric.

“Hopefully this’ll keep the swelling down. We’ll have to put ice on it when we make it back.”

Seungkwan for the first time this entire day is speechless. He does nod a quick thanks, curling his legs underneath him, careful of the injured one, examining the quick wrapping job, thinking it’s quite satisfactory.

Minghao makes work of pulling on his shirt, albeit a bit drafty, the lower half of his stomach exposed, a thought about Jeonghan pops up in his mind, that he debates saying, ultimately deciding that the timing is not good. Minghao is quickly pulling his jacket on and zipping it all the way up to remedy the exposure of his midriff.

“Now we just… wait. Or sleep. Until the sun rises. Though I do suggest everyone try and sleep.”

Seungkwan looks as if he doesn’t need to be told twice.

Seungcheol stretches out laying down, his head propped up by his backpack.

Seungkwan throws the blanket over top of Seungcheol, first before settling in next to him, using his arm as a pillow. Seungcheol pats his other side, motioning for Minghao with his free arm. He rolls his eyes, puts his knife back into its holster on his calf, and settling in on Seungcheol’s other side, taking the flashlight with him, and shutting it off. Although there isn’t much to go around, Seungcheol makes sure Minghao gets at least a little bit of the blanket.

It’s just a little bit uncomfortable, the blanket is not long enough to cover their feet. Seungcheol arm is going numb where Seungkwan’s head is resting against, but it’s the calmest and quietest it’s been all day, and if the natural wears of hiking and the stress of being lost wasn’t enough to exhaust Seungcheol, than the euphoria of these two finally being… cordial, is enough to have him drifting off.

Before sleep finally catches up to him, though, a thought suddenly sprang to mind. “Wait… what did you mean when you said you dabbled in _decapitation._ ”

Minghao appropriately lets out an obnoxious fake snore, curling in closer to Seungcheol.

 

The morning comes, slow, and sluggish, the sunlight dripped from the trees and allowed a dim glow inside the tent. Seungcheol blinked his eyes open, and tried to move, only to remember the two bodies pressed warm against him. It’s kind of cute. Seungkwan’s head stuffed into the crevice where his arm meets his body, poor kid, in for a gross awakening, while Seungcheol is fairly certain his arm is going to need to be amputated. He tries to twitch his fingers, channeling every bit of strength into his arm, but nothing. On his other side Minghao’s head is on his chest. Staring, wide eyed and unblinking right at Seungcheol. He startles, trying to wiggle away, Seungkwan’s head thunking uncomfortably on the ground, as Seungcheol quickly sits up, his useless arm hanging limply at his side.

Seungkwan complains loudly, a hand coming up to rub at the side of his head.

“Yah! What are you doing?”

“It’s not raining.”

“Oh my god. The sun! I thought I would never live to see it.”

Minghao nods.

“How ‘bout we find a way out of here.”

Minghao and Seungkwan groan noncommittally in unison.

Packing up everything was a little bit of a nightmare. Seungkwan sat, using the blanket as a cushion while he watched Minghao and Seungcheol struggle to put away the tent. Laughing at their misfortune when they finally managed to shove everything back into the case, only to realize they missed a couple poles. That didn’t last long, as Minghao threatened Seungkwan with one of those rods.

Eventually it all gets packed up, Seungkwan has the luxury two human crutches to help him through the rough, muddy terrain. Though rain had stopped, and the sun was shining with only a few bright, white, fluffy clouds lingering in the sky, it left a muddy forest floor to trudge through.

“It’s not like we’re exactly in the middle of nowhere, i’m sure if we walk long enough in one direction we’ll eventually find a road.”

And sure enough it’s only about an hour or two walk until they find the dirt road they came in on.

There’s a mile marker nailed to a nearby tree, and Seungcheol instantly dashes past it, leaving Minghao with Seungkwan. “God. Yes! I know we parked up this way, hurry up! I’ll buy everyone Mcdonald’s as soon as we find civilization.”

Both Minghao and Seungkwan whoop in triumph, in unison with their stomachs growling with hunger pains.

Only a couple kilometres up the road is were Seungcheol parked his car. A once shiny, pristine thing, covered in muck, and dust, and, Christ, dead bugs. He is not going to hesitate taking his poor baby through a car wash.

No one says anything during their drive out, just a comfortable silence, while their phones charge through the USB port in the radio one at a time. Minghao is luckily not arguing with Seungkwan about charging his first, as well as with Minghao claiming shotgun. It’s nice. Even if the cordial silence is only a byproduct of Seungcheol’s promise to buy them Mcdonald’s on the premise they stay amicable for the duration of the ride home.

Minghao huffs a sigh, of which Seungcheol is glaring at him in warning, but instead he rolls his eyes and apologizes. Taking both Seungkwan and Seungcheol by surprise. “Just, for doubting your relationship with Hansol. I know it’s the day and age of technology, and I shouldn’t be picking on you for that, just because I don’t understand how long-distance relationships work without some physical connection. It was not fair of me, so… sorry.”

Seungkwan is only a little bit too shocked to fully comprehend or rationalize a response for a moment. He quickly gives his head a shake, “well, I accept your apology… only because _I_ can’t fathom a relationship that only relies on a physical connection without building a psychological one.”

“Touché, I suppose.”

“Also sorry about your shirt.”

Minghao makes a point to look out the passenger window to contemplate his reply, “Please, it was nothing. I’m like the Regina George of this group, before you know it crop tops on guys will be a trend again in no time… also, sorry about slapping you. But you did kind of deserve it.”

“Hm… agree to disagree.”

Seungcheol snorts. Accepting the silence that follows to be a happy one. Incidentally he’s impressed at the turn of events. What started as a trip with three guys that don’t exactly hate each other, but also don’t get along very well, there sure are a lot of endings he could imagine that would have been a lot worse than this. His eyes briefly flicker to Minghao’s ankle, knowing exactly what’s hiding under his pant leg. He swallows hard, and tries not to think of it.

Seungkwan’s uses this silence through spotty service to update himself on the whereabouts and happenings of Hansol, and on his part updating him, and letting him know he’s still alive.

“Where’s your battery at?” Minghao suddenly pipes up.

“Thirty-three percent.”

“You’ll live then.” He unplugs Seungkwan’s phone and plugs in his own, staring at the black screen in anticipation for the start up logo, while Seungcheol is certain Seungkwan is about to protest, all he sees in the rear view is a pouty Seungkwan, eyes not straying from his phone screen.

A few moments later his phone chimes, and Minghao is already pulling up his messages, which are coming in rapid fire, and the smile on his face disappears. He stares impassively at the road ahead.

Seungcheol takes notice, almost right away. “What.”

“The group chat just exploded.”

“Yeah? So?”

“ _So_ … we just spent a night in the woods, with no cell service.”

Oh. _Oh._

“We slept in a tiny ass tent, with no food, an unrelenting storm, and a freaking _goat._ Yet these assholes couldn’t spare five seconds to tell us the trip had been cancelled, until… two hours after starting our trek in the woods.”

“Oh my god. They even have picture on instagram. They took all the booze and had a freaking get-together at Jeonghan’s.”

“What? Everyone?”

“Mmmmmhm.”

“Fucking assholes!”

“We could have _died.”_

“We almost _did.”_

“New plan: Were going to Mcdonald’s, _then_ Jeonghan’s to kick everyone’s asses.”

Seungkwan, and Minghao rally cries of agreement, as Seungcheol presses on the gas petal just a little bit harder.

**Author's Note:**

> I pulled this one out of my drafts, and originally started writing this, like, a year an a half ago, and has since gone through many character/fandom changes until i decided on this... It isn't initially what i wanted to post, but i'm glad to finally have this one doooooooooone.
> 
> thanks for reading, if you made it this far!


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